The Difference Habits Make

We all want to be the kind of person who learns from losses, gains wisdom and remains steady in difficult moments. We think of these qualities as maturity. A lot of qualities go into maturity, but one of the most powerful is having good habits. Og Mandino says, "In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits."

Enacting Our Values

In the Middle Ages, the word "habit" referred to clothing. Although the meaning of this word has evolved since then, these origins are helpful in understanding the way habits work. Like clothing, a habit is something we add to ourselves in order to reflect a personality we want others to see.

We decide what we value and then we put habits into place to ensure that our life enacts those values. According to common wisdom, it takes three weeks to form a habit. Depending on how challenging the new habit is, it may take longer.

Perseverance

The key to forming a habit is perseverance. We need to stay with the behaviour long enough that it becomes an essential part of our life. As John Dryden said, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us."

It also helps to share your intentions with others, to visualize performing the habit, and to give yourself a reward.

3 Key Habits of Leadership

At the UpClose Team, we value habits that support leadership. This is more than just talk for us. It's our habit. These are three leadership habits we find particularly powerful.

• Communicate to connect. All successful leaders know the importance of communication, but did you realize it is a habit? Unlike other habits, communication is not tied into a specific time slot. It's something you want to do well all of the time.
  
  But when you're first developing the habit of good communication, focus on a particular meeting. Challenge yourself to listen more actively, share information and connect with people through dialogue. Afterwards, consider how well it went and look for other opportunities to practise. Soon strong communication will be habit and it will transform your relationships.
  
  We make it a habit to communicate candidly and often to everyone in our organization. We inform, provide feedback and motivate by really connecting with people. This involves more listening than talking. We know our communication is working when we hear our thoughts in other people's words. This is the power and the purpose of communication: it connects people.

• Never stop learning. Every person finds the best time slot. I get up early in the morning for my learning. Before starting the workday, I read, listen to podcasts or work through a course. The knowledge I gain first thing in the day enriches my work with staff and clients. Some days it's not easy, but I've stuck with this pattern so long I don't feel right when it's broken.
• Set aside deliberate time for big picture thinking. Here at the Up Close Team, we routinely schedule time that will not be interrupted. As all leaders know, it is important to foster big picture thinking and this takes concentration. Making it a habit supports future growth. In our busy world, the details can consume all of our attention, which is why it's so important to set aside time for envisioning success.

As Jim Rohn says, "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."

Call to Action

List your key leadership values. Do you have habits to support those values? What will you do to ensure that your life enacts your leadership values?

The best is yet to come. It starts with you.
Your friends,
The UpCloseTeam

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